Air NZ extends Singapore Air deal

A Singapore Airlines Boeing 777. The airline is about to start flying from Wellington to Singapore via Canberra.

Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines will extend their alliance to include travel between Wellington and Singapore.

From September 21, Air New Zealand will be able to codeshare on Singapore Airlines' new Wellington-Singapore service. The airlines will also codeshare on Air New Zealand 's domestic network beyond Wellington.

The two carriers first launched an alliance in early 2015, which included the Singapore Airlines' Singapore-Christchurch service and enabled Air New Zealand to resume operating the Auckland-Singapore route.

Air New Zealand chief strategy, networks and alliances officer Stephen Jones said his airline was committed to working with Singapore Airlines to ensure its success.

The launch of our alliance with Singapore Airlines delivered capacity growth of 15 per cent in its first year.

''We welcome the addition of the Wellington service to our alliance and look forward to celebrating the inaugural flight in a few weeks' time," said Jones.

Singapore Airlines' general manager, New Zealand, Simon Turcotte said the extension of the alliance agreement to include the new service would deliver a greater choice to customers looking to travel to and from New Zealand.

"We have enjoyed a strong relationship with Air New Zealand since we launched our alliance agreement in 2015 and we greatly appreciate their support for the new service that will connect Wellington to the world."

The new Wellington-Singapore service will operate four times a week departing Wellington at 8.15pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays, arriving in Singapore at 5:50am the next day following a short 85 minute stop-over in Canberra.

They will be the first international services through the Australian capital.